A British teacher has released a short book that is having a big effect on education opinions.

Daisy Christodoulou’s e-book Seven Myths about Education has received plenty of praise already for its clear and effective writing style, criticisms and findings about public education and the role of teachers.

As a teacher writing for teachers; Ms Christodoulou’s book contains the intimate knowledge of an industry professional, as well as learned research from a variety of educational authorities.

These are Ms Christodoulou's seven 'myths':

  1. Facts prevent understanding
  2. Teacher-led instruction is passive
  3. The 21st century fundamentally changes everything
  4. You can always just look it up
  5. We should teach transferable skills
  6. Projects and activities are the best way to learn
  7. Teaching knowledge is indoctrination

The author, a long-time teacher and scientist, says “we need to reform the main teacher training and inspection agencies so that they stop promoting completely discredited ideas and give more space to theories with much greater scientific backing”.

The British book is growing in popularity both at home and in the United States, Australian teachers have reported it is a relevant and interesting read for educators here too.